Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunbre0904’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunbre0904’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBRE0904’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbre0904’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark. The objective of the program is to create and develop new Osteospermum plants with uniformly mounded plant habit, freely flowering habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in May, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 17.377.01, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 96.012.01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Odense, Denmark in June, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Odense, Denmark since November, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbre0904’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbre0904’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of the female parent         selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the female parent         selection differ in the lower surface ray floret color as plants         of the female parent selection have ray florets with soft         blue-colored lower surfaces.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Osteospermum are more outwardly spreading than and not as upright as plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Sunny Cecil’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,273. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Odense, Denmark, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of ‘Sunny Cecil’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘Sunny Cecil’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and ‘Sunny Cecil’ differed in         lower surface ray floret color as plants of ‘Sunny Cecil’ had         ray florets with light blue-colored lower surfaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant. These photographs shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Sunbre0904’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Sunbre0904’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 25-cm containers in Poeldijk, The Netherlands during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse and in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 14° C. Plants were pinched one time and were 15 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Sunbre0904’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 17.377.01,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number 96.012.01,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at 18° C. to             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 20 days at             18° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 28 days at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; light tan in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading             plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit with about eight lateral branches developing             per plant.         -   Plant height.—About 24.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 53 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10.9 cm. Diameter:             About 5.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement/quantity: Alternate,             simple; leaves sessile; about eight leaves per lateral             branch. Length: About 6.2 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Shape:             Oblanceolate to obovate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Narrowly             cuneate. Margin: Entire with coarse indentations. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; margins,             pubescent. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137A to 137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A;             venation, close to 144B to 144C. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 144A to             144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance and flowering habit.—Daisy-type inflorescences;             inflorescences face upright and are positioned above and             beyond the foliage; inflorescences terminal and axillary;             disc and ray florets developing acropetally on a capitulum;             freely flowering habit; about 31 inflorescences developing             per lateral branch.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Plants of the new Osteospermum begin             flowering about ten to twelve weeks after pinching; plants             flower continuously from spring to late summer in Northern             Europe.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about two weeks             on the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Towards the base, close to             137B; towards the apex, close to 151B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 3.5 mm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; towards             the base, pubescent. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 18 arranged in two whorls. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to NN155B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 8B; towards the base, close to 8C to 8D;             central band, close to N189B to N189C. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to NN155B to NN155C. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 8B; towards the base, close to 8C to 8D;             central band, close to N189C.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex, five-pointed. Length:             About 9 mm. Diameter, apex: About 3.5 mm Diameter, base:             About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 80. Color: Immature: Close to N77C; towards the apex,             close to 103B. Mature: Towards the apex, close to 93A to             93B; mid-section, close to 77B; towards the base, close to             155D flushed with close to 77D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20 arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 147B; towards the margins, close to 147C             to 147D. Color, lower surface: Close to 143A to 143B;             towards the margins, close to 143D.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.6 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 8.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect, terminal peduncle: Erect. Aspect,             axillary peduncle: About 25° from vertical. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 203B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering.             Stigma color: Close to N187A. Style length: About 3 mm.             Style color: Close to 155A. Ovary color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and be hardy to USDA Zone 9     and to tolerate rain, wind and high temperatures of about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunbre0904’ as illustrated and described. 